Convertible sofa-bed structure



Jan. 6, 1959 G. T. PURVES, JR

CONVERTIBLE SOFA-BED STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 30, 1955 CONVERTIBLE SOFA-BEDSTRUCTURE George T. Purves, Jr., Indianapolis, Ind.

Application November 30, 1955, Serial No. 550,125

1 Claim. or. 5-45 This invention relates to a convertible sofa-bedstructure, and more particularly to a combined sofa-bed of the type thatis readily convertible from one position wherein it serves as a sofa toa second position wherein it serves as a bed.

Structures of this character are basically old and no claim is madebroadly to them per se. Some have heretofore been characterized by amattress portion which is movable with some difficultyunder the seat ofthe sofa when not in use. Others have been characterized by acomplicated linkage which makes possible the lowering of what isnormally the back rest portion to a bed position. Both types have beenrelatively complicated, have had an unusually large number of parts andhave been expensive. It is the primary object of the present inventionto provide a structure of this general character wherein the linkage isso constructed and arranged as to attain ease and simplicity of movementwith a minimum number of parts and at a minimum expense.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a convertiblesofa-bed which is movable between but two, aligned positions so that itwill automatically be located at the desired sofa or bed positionswithout the necessity of the parts being relatively adjusted one to theother. Relative adjustment and aligning is particularly necessary withthat conventional type heretofore used wherein a portion of the mattressis stowed under the seat when not in use.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide astructure of this general character which is so properly balanced and ofsuch light weight construction that it may readily and easily be movedfrom one position to the other by even a child.

States Patent 9 It is a still further object of the present invention toprovide a convertible sofa-bed which dispenses with any latches orcatches and has no complicated shifting mechanism, as a result of whicheither the sofa or the bed position can be attained in but a fraction'ofa second.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide asofa-bed which is characterized by safety. From time to time convertiblebeds of conventional character heretofore employed have entrappedyoungsters who have endeavored to pull out the section normally stowedunderneath the seat portion. With the present invention, by reason ofthe principle employed in converting the sofa-bed from one position toanother, the hazards are completely eliminated.

The full nature of the invention will be understood In the drawings theseat cushion 10 is supported within an angle iron or the like frame ofsubstantially rectangular conformation having end members 11, and sidemembers (not shown) connected thereto.

The frame is suitably secured in parallelism with the floor upon legs 12by extensions 13. It is to be understood that if a different style orperiod of structure is desired than modern, the leg portions may bedifferently formed.

The back rest or cushion 14 is of substantially the same thickness asthe seat cushion 10 and is pivotally connected at its ends and near theouter extremities thereof as at 15 to the upper ends of L-shaped links16 whose lower angular portions are pivoted to the end mem bers 11 as at17 a substantial distance inwardly from the ends of the said endmembers. The length of the lower angular portion of the link 16 does notexceed the thickness of the seat cushion 10 when resting upon the endmembers 11. The length of the link 16 and the the seat cushion 10 andwith its forward face in substantially the same horizontal planetherewith. If desired, the end of the shorter arm of the link 16 may beslotted as at 17a to obviate any possibility of binding at the pivot 17.

The end of the bed frame is provided with a combined arm rest andsupport frame which includes a rectangular element comprising upper andlower parallel members 30 and 31 connected at their forward ends bystays 32 and at their rear ends by the upstanding supporting leg 20which projects above the member 30 and engages at its upper extremitywith the rear face of the back rest 14-to constitute a support therefor.It will be understood that the upper extremity of the leg 20 will extendthe full width of the back rest and will connect at its opposite endwith a companion arm rest substantially as just described. The forwardend of the arm rest frame is pivoted as at 23 with the end member 11 ofthe bed frame in the same horizontal plane with the pivot 17 of link 16and the distance between the members 30-31 of the end frame issubstantially equal to twice the thickness of the mattress or seatcushion 10. It will be observed that the link 16 is disposed between thearm rest frame and the bed frame. The upper member 30 of the frame isprovided with an arm rest 22 as shown. The pivot 23 of the arm restframe is located inwardly from the forward edge of the bed frame 11, anda stop 24 near the rear end of the bed frame 11 constitutes a supportfor the arm rest frame when the device is adjusted as a settee.

The back rest 14 is provided with a rearwardly extending bracket 18 ateach end and disposed upwardly from the lower end of the back rest andis pivoted at its outer end as at 19 to the upstanding leg 20 of the armrest frame adjacent to its juncture with the top rail or support 30 ofthe end frame. The bracket 18 maintains the back rest 14 in inclinedupright position so as to provide a desired inclination for the backrest when the device is used as a settee, and the upper end of the leg20 supports the back rest in its upwardly and rearwardly inclinedposition as shown in Fig. 1.

The pivots 15 and 17 of the links 16 and the pivots 23 and 19 are soarranged with respect to one another that when the end frames are swungupwardly and forwardly upon the pivots 23 from their position shown inFig. 1, the pivots 15 will move in an are from the pivot 17, while thepivots 19 will move in an are from the pivot 23 of the arm rest frame.This forward swinging movement will cause the back rest 14 to becomeinverted when the limit of forward movement is reached as shown in Fig.4 with the back rest disposed in the same horizontal plane with theupper face of the mattress or cuslr ion 10 and in abutment with theforward end thereof. Forward limiting swinging movement is arrested by astop 25 secured to the bed frame near its forward edge to be engaged bythe link 16. In the meantime, the end frame has also been invertedbecause of its swinging action upon the pivot 23, and when the limit ofthe forward movement is reached the outer end of the leg 20 engages thefloor and constitutes a support for the back rest when in fully extendedposition. The distance between the elements 3031 of the arm rest frameis such that little, if any, of the frame projects above the surface ofthe back rest 14 thus obviating the possibility of any projectingportions to interfere with the comfort of the user of the device when itis extended to bed formation.

From the construction and arrangement of the' arm rest frames and thelinks and the manner in which they are pivoted with respect to oneanother, it is apparent that the device affords a comfortable setteewith. its back firmly supported at an angle most comfortable for itsoccupant and with an arm rest disposed at the proper height for theuser. In converting the device from a settee to an extended bed, it issimply necessary to pull forwardly and upwardly upon either the back 14or the legs 20, whereupon the arm rest frame swings upon its pivot 23substantially 180 degrees so that the legs 20 will rest upon the floorand thus act as a support for the back rest 14 which has been moved intoinverted and linear relationship with the mattress or cushion 10supported by the bed frame. When in extended position for use as a bed,there are no projections or protuberances from the links or end frameswhich would interfere with the comfort of those occupying the structureas a bed.

The invention claimed is:

In a convertible sofa bed structure, an elevated horizontally disposedfirst frame, a seat cushion supported on said frame, an arm rest frameof a length less than the width of said first frame and seat cushionpivoted at its lower forward end to said first frame inwardly from oneend thereof and swingable in a plane parallel therewith, said arm restframe being of a height greater than the height of said seat cushion, asubstantially L-shaped link having its lower branch pivoted to saidfirst frame inwardly of the ends of said arm rest frame in the samehorizontal plane with said arm rest pivoted and disposed between saidarm rest frame and said first frame, a back rest supported in upstandingposition on said seat cushion, the upper branch of said link being of alength to have its upper end project beyond the forward end of saidfirst frame when pivotally moved to substantially horizontal position toinsure a proper meeting of the adjacent edges of the seat cushion andback rest, a pivot on the free end of the upper branch of said linkconnecting the said link with said back rest inwardly from the upper endof said back rest a distance equal to the projection of said link beyondsaid first frame When in horizontal position, a bracket projectingrearwardly from said back rest near the lower end thereof, a legprojecting upwardly from the rear end of said arm rest frame and servingas a support for the back rest to maintain the back rest at an anglewith respect to the surface of the seat cushion comfortable to the userof the seat cushion, a pivot connecting the rear end of said bracketwith said leg; said leg being of a length substantially equal to theelevation of said seat cushion and when resting on the floor to act as asupport for the back rest in alignment with the seat cushion with littleif any of the first frame projecting above the surface of the back rest,and stop means secured to the first frame near its forward edge tosupport said second frame when swung in horizontal alignment with thefirst frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS794,345 Coopersmith July 11, 1905 823,879 Kindel et al.- June 19, 1906826,994 Conway July 24, 1906 1,043,552 Derz'ee Apr. 5, 1912 2,104,666Molnar Jan. 4, 1938 2,731,650 Gopert Ian. 24, 1956

